Social media opportunities are everywhere!!  They are now an integral component of our business lives.  Some companies have embraced this new wave with gusto, while others have only put their toe in the waters of social media.  Almost all of us are using an aspect or tool that is a part of this new landscape.

How are you using social media in your participation at a trade show?

• Twitter to draw traffic to your booth?
• Tweet-ups to meet folks?
• Facebook and LinkedIn to garner attention for your product/service?

Have these new social media tools created leads for you?

I saw this week in BtoB Magazine this piece:

Hoover’s: Businesses like social media for lead generation

Christopher Hosford

Story posted: April 6, 2010 – 11:59 am EDT

Austin, Texas—Most businesses either already use social media as a lead-generation tool or plan to begin leveraging its lead-gen potential, according to a poll conducted last week by business research company Hoover’s Inc.

Hoover’s polled 395 viewers of its Hoover’s Business Insight Zone blog with a single question: “Do you use social media to generate business leads?” A total of 191 replied yes, and 97 said it’s in their plans, for a combined 73% of the total.

The remaining 27% replied that they do not use social media as a lead-gen channel and have no plans to do so.

This is an interesting statistic.  But I would like to hear real life experiences to support these numbers.  So I am asking if you have found a new component via social media to augment your booth activities at a show.

The Tweet Fest Plan I am offering is going to have some enhancements.  There will be a Swipe File of other exhibitor tweets which have been used from various shows.  I will review them and pick out the very best ones.  It is my plan to be on a constant quest for the best Tweets used by exhibitors to draw an audience to their booth or some other trade show related activity.

For those of you who do not know what a “swipe file” is – it is a collection of ideas where you can “borrow” an idea for your current project.  In the direct marketing world this technique is legendary!!  There are swipe file with nothing but headlines – compelling headlines that have high response rates and so on are normally included.

Soooo, I put out the word I was looking for material and the CES folks directed me to their site of exhibitor Tweets.  They sure know marketing!

If you have a great Tweet you have used to draw an audience to your booth, I would be pleased to include it in the updated version of the Tweet Fest Plan. To get your free copy of this plan, click on the Twitter @ Trade Shows Tab above.  Actually, I am thinking of charging for this Plan in the near future – so grab a copy of it now while it is FREE.

With the kick off of a solid CES (attendance-wise),  we are in a wonderful trade show season and the calendar is jammed with upcoming shows.  I am repeating this blog post for those who might want to take advantage of it and help other exhibiting buddies and your company.

What is a “Tweet Fest” – you ask?  Let me explain my idea and then share with you the actual plan on how to create a  Tweet Fest for your next show.

Booth Traffic

A major goal for exhibiting is getting people into your booth.  You want conversations to take place so they can determine the attendees’ interest levels and move these prospects into the sales cycle.

Twitter can be used effectively to help draw an audience to your booth.  First, you need to have a following on twitter – no matter what!!  For the care and feeding of your Twitter followers, you should be providing quality Tweets (not self-serving ones).  It is the 80/20 rule – 80% of the Tweets are about others and then 20% can be about you.

Exhibitors Helping Other Exhibitors

The challenge for a trade show effort, you do not want to be constantly Tweeting about YOU!!  So take the initiative and get with several fellow exhibitors (most likely your non-competitors) BEFORE the show and talk about the ways each of you can Tweet about each others’ products, services white papers, speakers, etc.  Find out the value-added pieces of content you all have.

Then you can use a service like Social Oomph to facilitate the Tweets during the show.  This service use to be Tweet Later.  You can have a master schedule of who is Tweeting about you and at what time.

The creative minds among this collective exhibitor team should net quite a buzz in each of your booths.  And this Tweeting effort can begin before the show; go through the show time and after wards.  I would not be surprised if this newly formed relationship might be an ongoing effort.

Get Your Copy of the Plan

To get your free copy of  the Tweet Fest Plan click here.  It is a step-by-step plan to creating a BUZZ for your shows.

You can be spontaneous and have your own Tweets to drive traffic to the booth for a prize or to meet someone.  Using this technique, you will look to your audience as a contributor rather than an over-zealous marketer.

Examples of Good Trade Show Tweets

Assuming you have taken care of the 80% rule, here are a few Tweets that I consider to be good for drawing an audience.

Net Documents used gift cards as a way to entice their audience.

We would appreciate your examples of how you are using Twitter to gain an audience.

Another idea is to have a Tweet-up at your booth.  Happy Twittering!!

Ms. Ember

PS – On a personal note, remember that cute little puppy I got in October 2008?  Check her out today.

There will be a new feature on this site – a Page dedicated to exploring the use of Twitter at trade shows and exhibitions.  It is my intent to show best practices of this evolving communication tool.

There will be a “swipe file” of great Tweets, so we can learn from one another.  And I will be interviewing exhibitors and others to highlight their success and suggestions on how the tool was used for traffic and press opportunities.

Yesterday I saw a Tweet that I believe is important to pass on to you.

New to Twitter? Here is a tip; answer “what is important to me” instead of “what am I doing”

Jeremiah Owyang ( who is a researcher st Forrester)

Stay tune – some great things are happening!!

It seems the current theme of this blog is centered around Twitter.  In my learning curve, I am curious how this new technology is impacting the communications stream among attendees and exhibitors.

Earlier in May I asked my network about how they were using Twitter at trade shows.  One of the responses was from Warren Whitlock.  If you do not know him please look him up at www.warrenwhitlock.com.   He is an expert on Twitter as well as book publishing.

Let me pass along what Warren shared with me:

“One big reason I started using Twitter was to make more connections at trade shows.  I knew that the fastest way to network was to meet people that I knew at the show.

By searching for the hashtags (unique ID words related to the event, usually starting with # sign) on the event the week before it starts, I am able to see who the real leaders are.

I follow many of the attendees and all of the speakers (Twitter links are on speaker bio pages and/or their blogs). Often I meet several of the speakers before the event starts, and make appointment to meet up with attendees that are active in the community. I also check to see if the is a “Tweet Up” (meeting of those who have connected on Twitter) and add that to my schedule.

I’ve found that the best opportunities at most shows happen in this network. Once these tweeps (Twitter users) decide to RT (”ReTweet: A Twitter post that gets repeated) I know that a large active group will be aware of whatever I’m promoting.

Two more tips to get traffic to your booth:

1) Give aways for Twitter users. I often tweet “I’ve got a copy of Twitter Revolution for the next person who finds me.”  It works for @The RealShaq with NBA tickets and it will work for you.

2) Get your staff tweeting. This is not a media to advertise on.. this is a way to network. Get everyone involved. Your customers expect INDIVIDUALS to be available.

From Warren Whitlock, co-author of “Twitter Revolution: How Social Media and Mobile Marketing is Changing the Way We Do Business & Market Online”
http://TwitterHandbook.com

Thanks Warren for sharing your wisdom with us!!

The deeper I get into Social Media world, the relevancy of this tool Twitter and what it can  achieve must be explored by those who are trade show exhibitors and show organizers.  I am attending the Inbound Marketing Summit hosted by New Media Labs.  They are providing great education on Social Media and what can be experienced today if used properly.

Yesterday when Chris Brogan was on stage and giving the opening remarks, the first thing he did was to make sure the audience knew where the location via the hash tag on Twitter was so we could monitor the conversation.  And the location is ims09.  The conversation was continuous throughout the day and into the night.  I missed the party but could keep up on activities via Twitter.

During the lunch break, I had  a chance to grab Chris and ask him a question – what should exhibitors do with Twitter at a show.  It is only a minute or so, but please listen to his words of wisdom.

He shared that he will be at IAEE’s EXPO EXPO in Atlanta with Rick Calvert.  I want to find out more about their presentation – I am sure it will be one not to miss.  Speaking of Rick Calvert, Nora Johnson from Experient shared this with me via my LinkedIn.

Last month, Rick Calvert, CEO and Co-founder of BlogWorld and New Media Expo, spoke at a local industry educational program. He shared the concept of placing flat screens around the convention space so that people could follow the Tweets for that particular event (via a designated tag).

Among the many benefits realized were building community and spreading positive word-of-mouth to those at the show, and more importantly, to those who may not be at the show. People could see that individuals were using Twitter to broadcast where they were – inviting others to join them – and also to share their thoughts around the content and value of the show. In one sense, every speaker, vendor and exhibitor also had to keep the bar raised, as anyone – at any time – could Tweet about their experience or impression.

In general, the running Tweets supported an active, relevant and credible convention where people networked with one another and truly found value.

Need to leave for day 2 of the Inbound Marketing Summit.  I am looking for more tidbits of wisdom and insights on how to use Social Media.  Nothing can replace face-to-face meetings, but Twitter along with face-to-face can be a dynamic duo.